schoolsbycounty

Dickson County Schools & Education

School Score

50/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

96.0%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

96.0%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 93.3%

Per-Pupil Spending

$5,672

National avg $13,239

State avg $6,215

School Score

50/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 47/100

State Score Position

#47

of 95 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Dickson County

Measured School Summary

Dickson County performs at an average level with a school score of 50/100 and a solid graduation rate of 96.0%.

Funding Context

At $5,672 per pupil, Dickson County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 6% above the Tennessee average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.7 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 9% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Dickson County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

17 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

50/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #47 of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data.

Completion

96.0%

2.7 pts above the state average

Funding context

$5,672

$543 below the state average

School coverage

17

1 district represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Dickson County has 17 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

Parent decision brief

What Dickson County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Dominant-district county

Dickson County carries most of the listed public-school system, with 17 of 17 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.

State position

#47

of 95 Tennessee counties with school score data. The county score is 3 points above the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

Dickson County

Elementary to high school visible

8,129 students

Elementary 8Middle 4High 3Other 2

17 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Dickson County is the largest listed district slice, with 17 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Dickson County?

Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Education Overview

About Schools in Dickson County, Tennessee

This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.

Expansive Rural and Town Infrastructure

Dickson County manages 17 public schools serving a large student body of 8,129. The infrastructure is diverse, featuring eight elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools, and two specialized centers. This broad network supports a wide variety of educational needs across the county's single district.

A Large, Unified Public School District

The Dickson County district oversees all 17 schools and 8,129 students, providing a massive but unified educational system. There are currently no charter schools in the county, making the traditional public system the primary academic engine for the region. This centralized oversight ensures that resources are distributed across both high-capacity high schools and smaller elementary campuses.

A Predominantly Rural Learning Experience

With 12 schools in rural locales and five in town settings, Dickson County offers a spacious learning environment for its students. Dickson County High School is a significant regional hub with 1,472 students, while Charlotte Elementary provides a mid-sized primary setting with 616 students. The average school size is 478 students, reflecting a system that balances large-scale resources with smaller community schools.

School Overview

Total Schools

17

in Dickson County

Reported Enrollment

8,129

17 schools reporting

School Districts

1

district

Charter Schools

0

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8
Middle4
High3
Other2

1 School District in Dickson County

Dickson County

Guide
17 schools
8,129 students enrolled
Open district guide

17 Public Schools in Dickson County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Level

Showing 17 of 17 matching schools

Dickson County High School

Dickson County

Dickson, 37055 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High1,472 students

Creek Wood High School

Dickson County

Charlotte, 37036 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High933 students

Stuart Burns Elementary

Dickson County

Burns, 37029 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary740 students

Centennial Elementary

Dickson County

Dickson, 37055 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary682 students

Charlotte Elementary

Dickson County

Charlotte, 37036 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary616 students

Dickson Middle School

Dickson County

Dickson, 37055 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle594 students

Burns Middle School

Dickson County

Burns, 37029 / Rural: Fringe

Record6–8Middle475 students

Oakmont Elementary

Dickson County

Dickson, 37055 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–5Primary474 students

White Bluff Elementary

Dickson County

White Bluff, 37187 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary464 students

Charlotte Middle School

Dickson County

Charlotte, 37036 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle436 students

Vanleer Elementary

Dickson County

Vanleer, 37181 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary267 students

W James Middle School

Dickson County

White Bluff, 37187 / Rural: Distant

Record6–8Middle253 students

Dickson Elementary

Dickson County

Dickson, 37055 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary242 students

The Discovery School

Dickson County

Dickson, 37055 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary205 students

Special Services

Dickson County

Dickson, 37055 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–12Other157 students

Dickson County Distance Learning Academy

Dickson County

Charlotte, 37036 / Rural: Distant

RecordKG–12Virtual101 students

New Directions Academy

Dickson County

Charlotte, 37036 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High18 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$5,672

State avg $6,215

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Dickson County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Tennessee counties have the highest graduation rates?
Morgan County (99.0%), Henry County (98.0%), and Benton County (97.0%) currently lead Tennessee among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.
What is per-pupil spending like in Tennessee?
Across Tennessee counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $6,215. The highest current county values are Davidson County ($7,324), Williamson County ($7,061), and Benton County ($7,058). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.
How should I read the school score in Dickson County?
Dickson County has a school score of 50/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.
What is the graduation rate in Dickson County?
The high school graduation rate in Dickson County is 96.0%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.
How much does Dickson County spend per student?
Dickson County spends $5,672 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Dickson County, Tennessee — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Dickson County, Tennessee?

Dickson County manages 17 public schools serving a large student body of 8,129. The infrastructure is diverse, featuring eight elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools, and two specialized centers. This broad network supports a wide variety of educational needs across the county's single district.

What are the major school districts in Dickson County, Tennessee?

The Dickson County district oversees all 17 schools and 8,129 students, providing a massive but unified educational system. There are currently no charter schools in the county, making the traditional public system the primary academic engine for the region. This centralized oversight ensures that resources are distributed across both high-capacity high schools and smaller elementary campuses.

What is the school experience like in Dickson County?

With 12 schools in rural locales and five in town settings, Dickson County offers a spacious learning environment for its students. Dickson County High School is a significant regional hub with 1,472 students, while Charlotte Elementary provides a mid-sized primary setting with 616 students. The average school size is 478 students, reflecting a system that balances large-scale resources with smaller community schools.

Counties with Similar School Profile

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.